Today, modems, such as cable modems, offer Internet connectivity to subscribers' homes. These modems are typically connected to an information distribution network, such as a coaxial cable network, an optical fiber network, a hybrid fiber/coaxial cable network, or a wireless network, and communicate with a network device outside the home (e.g., a termination system, such as a cable modem termination server, or CMTS). Within the home, the modem may be connected to an in-home network, such as an Ethernet network, an in-home coaxial cable network (e.g., per the Multimedia Over Coax Alliance—MoCA—specification), wireless network, etc., and various devices within the home may use that network to ultimately communicate with network devices outside the home.
The modems, however, are not easily modifiable or upgradeable. Firmware updates may be downloaded from the external network to update the firmware within the modem, but such an update is limited to the firmware/software of the modem.
Hardware upgrades are done by replacing the entire modem with a new model, or not at all.
There remains an ever-present need to offer greater functionality and customization to users, with minimal inconvenience.